The Rotary Club of 100 Mile House had been struggling to make the Rotary Fall Fair a viable fundraiser for a number of years, Rotary president Daryl Silverton says, and decided to take a chance by dropping the fair and hosting the Lobsterfest.
"We were putting a lot of effort in the Fall Fair, but we weren't making any money to put back into the community. New member Scott Saito, who had some experience, suggested putting on a Lobsterfest and it was a huge success.
Saito, who was the event's key organizer, says the Lobsterfest wouldn't have been so successful if it wasn't for the generosity of the business community of 100 Mile House not only for their generous donations, but also for their support of the event," he adds.
"We would also like to thank all the attendees who came out to our inaugural event, and all the volunteers who made it possible.
"We are happy to inform everyone that we will be giving $2,500 to the Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School grads, $2,500 to the South Cariboo Hospital Foundation, and $2,500 to the 100 Mile Community Hall, as well as other smaller donations throughout the community."
This event has given us the ability to become more active in our community, he adds, and the club looks forward to continuing for years to come.
Silverton notes that since the Lobsterfest, there has been a lot of interest in joining the club.
"We would be very interested in getting new members, especially young business people. It would gives us a great mix of Rotarians, as we have a number of people who have been involved for years, and together we have a lot of fun."
Anyone who wants more information on Rotary can call Silverton at 250-706-9519.